Watch crystal box



Aug. 20, 1940- TQBITA 2,211,869

WATCH CRYSTAL BOX Filed May 22, 1957 giyw 7 7 INVENTOR.

, y Toshlo Tobitol ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES WATCH CRYSTAL BOX Toshio Tobita, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to American Perfit Crystal Corporation, New York, N. Y., av corporation of New York Application May 22, 1937, Serial No. 144,215

2 Claims.

It is the present practice to pack watch crystals of uniform kinds in cardboard boxes of appropriate size, so that each box contains a particular shape and size of crystal. The boxes employed are commonly of the telescoping type comprising a box body and a cover having a depending skirt which telescopes over the box body to form a closure therefor. A quantity of crystals are packed in each box and on the exterior of the box is printed appropriate identifying data showing the contents of the box. It is usual to print this data upon the ends of the cover of the box and in some cases the ends of the box body as well as the inner faces thereof are also printed, so that, when the covers are removed, they may be put aside to permit of more convenient access into the interior of the box and still permit the retailer to readily identify the contents thereof. These boxes are distributed to retailers who on shelves, but it has become the widespread practice of certain crystal manufacturers to provide cabinets with compartments properly identified and into which the crystals may be placed after removal from the paper shipping boxes. These cabinets generally consist in a suitable cas ing having therein shallow trays with the compartments referred to and while they are convenient in use they are open to certain objections. For example, they are expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, inthe interest of convenience in selecting crystals, they should be arranged in the trays in numerical order according to size and shape and since shapes are constantly changing according to styles, it becomes frequently necessary to shift about the entire contents of the trays in order to insert new styles or numbers and keep the stock in the proper order. p

I have discovered simple and efiicient means whereby, through an inexpensive change of the cardboard box referred to, I am able to use these boxes within an ordinary drawer and at the same time allow of selection of the desired crystal without the necessity of moving or removing any box. This result is accomplished by so constituting the body of the box that each individual box provides, in substantially the plane of its open top, a shelf on which is printed designations of the contents of the boxQso that, when a number of these boxes are placed in closely assembled relation in the drawer, the contents of each box can be seen at a glance. This obviates the necessity of special trays with consequent expense, permits the boxes to be used in a satisfactory manner in any drawer and renders it unnecesin some cases place them loosely in drawers or (o1. zoo-72) sary for the dealer to remove any box from the drawer, or to-rem'ove the contents of any box,

in order to see what it contains. In theevent of change of style or inclusion of new numbers,

the individual boxes may be readily shifted around in a simple and expeditious manner to provide for the insertion of a new box or the removal of an obsolete number.

The present invention fulfills a long felt want for shipment constitutes a convenient means for 7.

their individual display and sale.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention. I l

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective section of one corner of a drawer showing aplurality of boxes embodying the present invention used therein in such manner as to permit crystals to be readily taken from the individual compartments thereby formed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the boxes shown in Fig. 1.

Figures 3'-6 inclusive are views similar to Figure 2, but illustrating modified forms of construction embodying this invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective section of a further modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, l designates a drawer or tray having a front 2, sides 3 and a bottom 4, all of which parts are conventional. In the drawer of Figure 1 are shown a plurality of boxes 5, all of the same kind and set into the drawer in closely adjacent relation, so that they fit fairly snugly into the drawer and fill the same. The boxes here shown are of the conventional type insofar as they comprise a box body 6 of rectangular form and are adapted to be normally closed by a telescoping cover. They may be conveniently made of cardboard and the interior as well as the exterior one or both ends of the box body may have'printed thereon suitable indicia showing the contents of each particular box. It will be noted from Figure 1 that, when the boxes are placed in the drawer, as shown, the

ends of the boxes carrying said indicia are concealed, so that in the absence of other means to show the contents of the individual boxes, it would be necessary to remove a box from the drawer to see What it contained. Furthermore when the boxes contain crystals, they obscure or cover the part of all of the data printed on the interior of the ends of the boxes and in order to see this data it is necessary to remove the contents of the box. I overcome this difficulty by forming at the upper open side of each box a small transverse shelf II]. This shelf may be either at the front or back of the box as may be desired and each box may be provided with a false sloping bottom 8 to facilitate removal of the crystals from the box.

Figure 3 shows one way in which these features of the invention may be economically incorporated into the box construction. In this figure a strip of cardboard is bent to provide at one end a leg 5i which rests on the bottom of the box and supports at its upper end the integral horizontal shelf iii beyond which the strip is bent downwardly to form an inclined portion H tar-- minating in a horizontal foot l2. This foot may be relatively narrow, as shown in Figure 2, or it may be made somewhat longer as indicated at 53 in Figure 3, but in any event the crystals M, when deposited in the box, slide one over one another into an eschelon relation, so that they may be more readily individually removed from the box than though they were positioned so as to lie flat at the bottom of the box.

In practice the cardboard strip, which forms the insertion described, is preferably made of such width that it will fit snugly between the side walls of the box, so that, when positioned as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it will retain its place therein, although, if desired, it may be glued to the box body.

In Figure i, the strip is made to provide at one end a foot l5 resting on the bottom of the box and projecting from one end thereof. The strip is thereupon bent upwardly to provide a leg Hi, which corresponds to the leg 9, and serves to support the shelf iii, beyond which the strip is bent downwardly to form a second leg H from the bottom of which extends a second foot i8 and beyond which the strip is bent upwardly to form the inclined bottom i9. If desired, the strip may be made suflicient'ly long so that it may be bent downwardly from the upper end of the incline to form a third foot 29, as shown in Figure 5, to assist in supporting the upper end of the incline so that it will not sag. The structure of Figures 4 and'5 is used in the same way as the structures of Figures 2 and 3, but the shelf will be positioned at the back of the compartment instead of at the front of the compartment.

The in Figures 4 and 5 serve as abut-- ments to space as lower ends of the legs 58 and I? apart, so that the inclined part 59 will not tend to In the construction of Figure 6, the arrangement shovm is substantially the same as that shown in Figures i and 5, except that the inclined portions 59 and the leg iii. are omitted and the crystals lie fiat in the box. This is not so convenient as warm the inclined bottom is used, but nevertheless the shelf It is provided as here tofore.

In Figure '7, the insertion is dispensed with and the shelf ii? is carried directly by the walls of the box. It .may be conveniently formed as a continuation of the end wall 12, the same being bent over to form a flange which constitutes the shelf ID. The ends of the shelf may be glued to the side walls of the box.

The shelf H] of any and all of the constructions described is adapted to receive thereon a printed label identifying the contents of the box, although the printing may be produced directly upon the shelf. Vilhen these boxes are used the crystals are placed in the box for shipment and the cover put on. The outside of the cover may have printed thereon the contents of the box to facilitate identification and in this form the boxes are distributed to the trade. Upon receipt the retailer removes and discards the covers and places theboxes, with crystals therein, in any convenient tray or drawer and the stock is ready for sale. He can readily see by opening the drawer What each box contains and if at any time, it becomes necessary to insert new styles or discard obsolete numbers, the boxes may be shifted around as necessary to produce the desired rearrangement.

I have described this invention as incorporated into the conventional rectangular pastcboard box in which watch crystals are usually packed for 'ibution. I am aware, however, that the inoration may form part of boxes of other shapes or materials and the inserts which have been described may be made of other materials or substances, or in other forms than have been specifically enumerated.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth different illustrative forms of the invention which I have found satisfactory for commercially handling watch crystals, but other forms of construcembodying a rectangular cardboard box body having a single crystal compartment with an open top adapted to be closed by its own individual telescoping cover, and a strip of cardboard permanently positioned within the box body and bent to form a shelf located within the box body at substantially the plane of the open top thereof and carrying thereon indicia identifying the crystals in the crystal compartment, said cardboard strip being also bent to form for said compartment an inclined false bottom extending substantially from the base of the box body to the open top thereof to permit of the manual sliding of crystals up the incline thus formed to facilitate their removal from the box body without the use of tools.

2. A shipping and display box for a plurality of watch crystals of one particular size and shape embodying a rectangular cardboard box body having a single crystal compartment with an open top adapted to be closed by its own individual telescoping cover, and a shelf positioned at one end of the crystal compartment and in substantially the plane of the open top and supported on and carried by the box body, said shelf having thereon indicia identifying the crystals in said crystal compartment.

TOSHIO TOBITA. 

